7:100  Students                                                                     (Acrobat File)
     
  Health, Eye, and Dental Examinations; Immunizations; and Exclusion of Students

Required Health Examinations and Immunizations

A student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) shall present proof that the student received a health examination, with proof of the immunizations against, and screenings for, preventable communicable diseases, as required by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), within one year prior to:

  1. Entering kindergarten or the first grade;

  2. Entering the sixth and ninth grades; and

  3. Enrolling in an Illinois school, regardless of the student’s grade (including nursery school, special education, Head Start programs operated by elementary or secondary schools, and students transferring into Illinois from out-of-state or out-of-country).


Proof of immunization against meningococcal disease is required for students in grades 6 and 12. 

As required by the State law:

  1. Health examinations must be performed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, an advanced practice nurse who has a written collaborative agreement with a collaborating physician authorizing the advanced practice nurse to perform health examinations, or a physician assistant who has been delegated the performance of health examinations by a supervising physician.

  2. A diabetes screening is a required part of each health examination; diabetes testing is not required.

  3. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, an age-appropriate development screening and an age-appropriate social and emotional screening are required parts of each health examination. A student will not be excluded from school due to his or her parent/guardian’s failure to obtain a developmental screening or social and emotional screening. 

  4. Before admission and in conjunction with required physical examinations, parents/guardians of children between the ages of one month and seven years must provide a statement from a physician that their child was “risk-assessed” or screened for lead poisoning.

  5. The IDPH will provide all female students entering sixth grade and their parent’s/guardians information about the link between human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer and availability of the HPV vaccine.

  6. The District will provide informational materials regarding influenza, influenza vaccinations, meningococcal disease, and meningococcal vaccinations developed, provided, or approved by the IDPH when it provides information on immunizations, infectious diseases, medications, or other school health issues to students’ parent(s)/guardian(s).

Unless an exemption or extension applies, failure to comply with the above requirements by THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL of the current school year will result in the student's exclusion from school.


New students who register after the first day of school shall have 30 days to comply with the health and immunization requirements.


If a medical reason prevents a student from receiving a required immunization by the first day of school, the student must present, by the first day of school, an immunization schedule and a statement of the medical reasons causing the delay. The schedule and statement of medical reasons must be signed by the physician, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or local health department responsible for administering the immunizations.


A student transferring from out-of-state who does not have the required proof of immunization by the first day of school, or 30 school days after initial enrollment, may attend classes only if he or she has proof that an appointment for the required vaccinations is scheduled with a party authorized to submit proof of the required vaccinations. If the required proof of vaccinations is not submitted within 30 school days after the student is permitted to attend classes, the student may no longer attend classes until proof of the vaccinations is properly submitted.  


During a pandemic or an executive order, the Superintendent may amend this policy, after consultation with the Board, when it is determined it would be in the best interests of the District to extend the exclusion date to October 15 of the current school year.

Eye Examination

Parents/guardians are encouraged to have their children undergo an eye examination whenever health examinations are required. 


Parents/guardians of students entering kindergarten or an Illinois school for the first time shall present proof before October 15 of the current school year that the student received an eye examination within one year prior to entry of kindergarten or the school. A physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches or a licensed optometrist must perform the required eye examination.


If a student fails to present proof by October 15, the school may hold the student’s report card until the student presents proof: (1) of a completed eye examination, or (2) that an eye examination will take place within 60 days after October 15. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that parents/guardians are notified of this eye examination requirement in compliance with the rules of the IDPH. Schools shall not exclude a student from attending school due to failure to obtain an eye examination.


Dental Examination

All children in kindergarten and the second and sixth grades must present proof of having been examined by a licensed dentist before May 15 of the current school year in accordance with rules adopted by the IDPH.


If a child in the second or sixth grade fails to present proof by May 15, the school may hold the child’s report card until the child presents proof: (1) of a completed dental examination, or (2) that a dental examination will take place within 60 days after May 15. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that parents/guardians are notified of this dental examination requirement at least 60 days before May 15 of each school year.


Exemptions

In accordance with rules adopted by the IDPH, a student will be exempted from this policy’s requirements for:

  1. Religious or medical grounds if the student’s parents/guardians present the IDPH’s Certificate of Religious Exemption form to the Superintendent or designee.  When a Certificate of Religious Exemption is presented, the Superintendent or designee shall immediately inform the parents/guardians of exclusion procedures pursuant to Board policy 7:280 Communicable and Chronic Infections Disease and State rules if there is an outbreak of one or more diseases from which the student is not protected.  

  2. Health examination or immunization requirements on medical grounds if a physician provides written verification;

  3. Eye examination requirement, if the student’s parents/guardians show an undue burden or lack of access to a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches who provides eye examinations or a licensed optometrist; 

  4. Dental examination requirement if the student’s parents/guardians show an undue burden or a lack of access to a dentist.


Homeless Child

Any homeless child shall be immediately admitted, even if the child or child’s parent/guardian is unable to produce immunization and health records normally required for enrollment. Board policy 6:140, Education of Homeless Children, governs the enrollment of homeless children.



LEGAL REF.: 42 U.S.C. §11431 et seq., McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

105 ILCS 5/27-8.1 and 45/1-20.

410 ILCS 45/7.1, Lead Poisoning Prevention Act.

410 ILCS 315/2e, Communicable Disease Prevention Act.

23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.530.

77 Ill. Admin.Code Part 664, Socio-Emotional and Developmental Screening.

77 Ill.Admin.Code Part 665, Child and Student Health Examination and Immunization.

77 Ill.Admin.Code Part 690, Control of Communicable Diseases.



CROSS REF.: 6:30 (Organization of Instruction), 6:140 (Education of Homeless Children), 

6:180 (Extended Instructional Programs), 7:50 (School Admissions and

Student Transfers To and From Non-District Schools), 7:280 (Communicable 

and Chronic Infectious Disease)



Reviewed: December 19, 2005, March 24, 2014, August 21, 2017, June 22, 2020, May 2023

Adopted: February 27, 2006

Revisions Adopted: January 04, 2010, April 14, 2014; December 8, 2014, September 5, 2017, 

June 22, 2020